Budapest to Vienna - 15 Best Ways to Travel in 2024

Most people traveling from Budapest to Vienna choose trains. With frequent connections, comfortable trains, and the Budapest to Vienna travel time of around 2 hours and 40 minutes, this is the easiest way of getting between the two capitals. The Budapest to Vienna trains depart every hour from 5:40 in the morning to 20:40. 

Every second connection is served by the high-speed RailJet trains that are very comfortable, with complimentary wifi, a restaurant onboard, or a quiet zone (which is an excellent idea if you would like to relax during your trip). Other connections are comfortable too, running as the EuroCity trains. All the trains depart from the Keleti station and stop at the Budapest Kelenföld station before continuing the journey towards Vienna.

Budapest to Vienna train ticket
If you plan your Budapest to Vienna trip in advance, you can find affordable tickets for the train journey, starting at €13 (the regular price for this route is €50,50). You can easily purchase the tickets online at the websites of either Hungarian Railways or Austrian Railways (it’s worth checking both as sometimes the price for the same trip from Budapest to Vienna by train might vary). 

You can also buy the ticket the traditional way, at the train station in Budapest. The largest one (from where the trains to Vienna depart) is Keleti - you will find the ticket offices on the underground level, just before the escalators to the platforms. Since Keleti is a large and busy train station, be sure to be here ahead of time to find your way around, especially if you need to get a ticket for your journey. Trains to Vienna usually depart from the platforms in front, on the right side, but double-check the platform after arriving at the station. 

You can also buy your ticket at other train stations in Budapest: Nyugati, Deli, or Kelenföld.

Budapest to Vienna Eurorail pass
Those who travel around Europe with Interrail or Eurorail tickets can get from Budapest to Vienna by train using the pass too. The seat reservation is not mandatory, but since these are popular connections, we recommend buying one, especially if you travel during peak hours. 

The reservation costs €3, and you can buy it online at the Austrian Railways website or at the train station. Before the trip, you can check the travel planner on this website, too, as it indicates the estimated popularity of the connection.

Train stations in Budapest and Vienna
All the trains from Budapest to Vienna depart from the beautiful Keleti train station in the Pest side of the city, where you can quickly get by public transport, especially the metro. Lines 2 (red) and 4 (green) stop at the Keleti train station; there are also numerous buses and trams that you can use. 

The train also stops at the Kelenföld station on the Buda side, reachable by the green metro line 4 and other modes of public transport. 

In Vienna, you will arrive at the Hauptbahnhof central station, from where you can use the metro red line U1 (stop Südtiroler Platz-Hauptbahnhof) to your accommodation in the city. Public transport works very well in both capitals and is the best way to get around.

If you would like to see more than just the capitals during your trip, yet you don’t have all that much time in your itinerary, the Budapest to Vienna sightseeing transfer is the best option for you. Not only will you travel hassle-free and comfortably between the cities, but you will also stop in four beautiful places that would normally be difficult to see in one day. You will learn more about the region, its history, culture, and customs. If there is anything you would like to know about Central Europe, you can ask the knowledgeable guide that will accompany you on the tour. 

The price for Budapest to Vienna Transfer Tour start at €85. You will travel in a small group of max eight people in the comfortable and air-conditioned minivan. You can read more about the sightseeing transfer here.

The tour starts at 9 am in the central part of Budapest, at Erzsébet tér next to the Deak Ferenc ter metro station. After visiting four places along the way, you will arrive in Vienna some nine hours later, around 6 pm, next to Cafe Mozart in the very center of the city. If you book the private option of the Budapest to Vienna sightseeing transfer, the pick-up and drop-off will be included in the price.

Stop 1: Tata Castle
Around one hour after departing from Budapest, you will arrive at your first stop of the day - the beautiful medieval Tata Castle. You will walk around the impressive structure, enjoy adjacent romantic gardens, and admire nearby Lake Öreg and its surroundings.

Stop 2: Györ
The second stop of the day is Györ, one of the most beautiful cities in the region, known for its long history and stunning Baroque architecture. Besides the charming Old Town, you will also see here the magnificent building of the Town Hall from the early 20th century - one of the most beautiful structures of that kind in Hungary.

Stop 3: Eszterháza Palace
After exploring Györ, you will continue your Budapest to Vienna tour to your next stop - the majestic Eszterháza Palace, also known as “the Hungarian Versailles.” You will be able to admire this 18th-century gem that used to be home to the famous composer Joseph Haydn; you will also go for a stroll around the beautiful garden. For an extra fee, you can visit the Eszterháza Palace inside.

Stop 4: Sopron
The last stop of the sightseeing transfer will be the lovely Hungarian town of Sopron, located right on the border with Austria. You will wander around the Old Town with numerous beautiful historical buildings and winding cobbled lanes. Sopron is a perfect example of a charming Central European town that is very easy to enjoy. From here, it’s less than 100 km to your final destination of the day - Vienna.

A good alternative to trains is Budapest to Vienna bus, with departures at least once an hour throughout the day and a travel time of under 3 hours - with so many connections, you will easily find the one that works for your itinerary. 

The leading company operating Budapest to Vienna buses is Flixbus - a well-known carrier offering routes across Europe and beyond. Their buses are comfortable, with enough leg space, complimentary wifi, and a power socket next to each seat. 

Budapest to Vienna bus price starts at €9 and can jump up to €29 shortly before the journey. The earlier you buy the ticket, the better price you get. To purchase the ticket, go to the Flixbus website to get them online. You don’t need to print the ticket; it’s enough to show it on your phone to the driver.

Bus stations in Budapest and Vienna
All Budapest to Vienna buses depart from the Nepliget station in the capital of Hungary, located a bit away from the center in Pest but easily reachable by the blue metro line M3. Some also stop at the Kelenföld station on the Buda side of the city, where you can get by green metro line M4. 

In Vienna, you will arrive at the bus station at Erdbergstrasse - it is not centrally located, but you can use the U3 orange metro line that will quickly take you to the heart of the city. A few buses terminate next to the Vienna Hauptbahnhof train station, only a few metro stops from the center (by U1 red metro line).

Budapest to Vienna Airport by bus
If you need to get from Budapest to Vienna Airport, you can also do it by bus. Flixbus operates a few daily connections from the Nepliget bus station in Budapest to the airport in the Austrian capital; the travel time is under 3 hours too. If there are no direct buses at the time of the day that you need them, you can take the train or bus to Vienna and switch to the train to the airport.

Even if it’s relatively close from Budapest to Vienna, only 215 km in the direct line, you can still fly between the two capitals. Austrian Airlines, the only company operating this route, offers three Budapest to Vienna flights daily, in the morning, around noon, and in the afternoon. 

The Budapest to Vienna flight time is only 45 minutes, but if you count getting to/from the airport, security control, and all the waiting, you can expect to spend around 4-5 hours on the journey from central Budapest to central Vienna.

Budapest to Vienna flight price
If you buy the ticket in advance, you can pay €95 for a one-way flight, but last-minute flights can cost around €300. You can purchase the ticket online at the website of Austrian Airlines. 

Airports in Budapest and Vienna
The easiest way to reach Budapest airport is by express bus no 100E. It departs every few minutes from the center of the city, next to the metro station Deák Ferenc tér and stops at metro stations Astoria and Kálvin tér. You can buy a ticket onboard; the price is 2.200 HUF. The journey from the center of Budapest to the airport should take around 40 minutes, depending on the traffic. 

In Vienna, you can use the City Airport Train (the ticket costs €14,90) or the slower suburban train S7 (for €4,10) - both will take you to the Wien Mitte station near the center of the city, also served by U3 orange metro line and U4 green metro line.

If you want full control of your itinerary, you can go for a Budapest to Vienna road trip. The shortest route between the capitals, on the highways, is around 250 km, so that you can get from one city to another in under three hours. 

But you can also take it slower, drive on more scenic routes, and stop in some interesting places along the way, such as Györ, known for its Baroque architecture, charming Sopron, or the picturesque 12-th century Liechtenstein castle. You can even do a little detour and add another country - Slovakia - to your agenda. Driving from Budapest to Vienna would give you full flexibility and allow spontaneity during your trip. 

The downside of this option is the price - a one-way trip by rental car is usually much more expensive due to returning the vehicle to another location. For Budapest to Vienna rental car road trip you can expect to pay around €700, without the petrol cost.

A cheaper option that would still allow you to travel from Budapest to Vienna hassle-free and see some interesting places along the way is the private transfer. You wouldn’t need to worry about driving yourself. Instead, you can enjoy a hassle-free door-to-door transfer in a comfortable vehicle with an English-speaking driver. 

The regular price for Budapest to Vienna private transfer is around €250 per car but for a fee, you can add some interesting sightseeing stops along the way. The most popular places you can visit between Budapest and Vienna are the Danube Bend (especially Esztergom, with the largest church in Hungary), the UNESCO-listed Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey, Győr, Sopron, or Bratislava - the capital in Slovakia.

You can also choose the private option of the Budapest to Vienna sightseeing transfer that we discussed in detail above. The door-to-door trip between the capitals will take you around nine hours. You will stop at four beautiful and exciting places along the way: Tata Castle, the Baroque Old Town of Győr, Eszterházy Palace, and Sopron. The Budapest to Vienna sightseeing transfer is a perfect way to travel worry-free and to see more than just the well-known capitals during your trip.

Those who enjoy traveling on two wheels can easily travel from Budapest to Vienna by bike. You will need to cover a distance of around 300 km - a leisure-pace trip with sightseeing stops along the way should take about one week. The best Budapest to Vienna bike route is along the Danube River that connects both capitals and flows through another country in between - Slovakia. Since this way is part of the popular Danube Cycle Path, you can expect a good bike infrastructure along the way.

When cycling from Budapest to Vienna, be sure to stop in a few interesting places along the Danube Bend just north of Budapest (especially Szentendre, Visegrad, and Esztergom), as well as in Győr with its beautiful Baroque Old Town and Bratislava, the vibrant capital of Slovakia. 

Budapest to Vienna bike tour
If you don’t want to deal with the practical side of cycling between the capitals, you can join the Budapest to Vienna bike tour. Most of the offers you can find are in the opposite direction, from Vienna to Budapest, but there are a few that might be what you are looking for. The bike tours covering the area between the capitals of Austria and Hungary usually last eight days / seven nights, with prices starting at €700. 

A popular way of getting around Europe is carpooling, and that’s also how you can get from Budapest to Vienna. All you need to do is set a profile on a car-sharing website (the most popular one is BlaBlaCar), browse through the rides, and once you find an offer that works for you, connect with the driver to arrange a pick-up/drop-off location and time. 

Carpooling from Budapest to Vienna is a popular way of getting between the two cities but don’t be discouraged if you don’t see many available rides in advance; it’s best to search for them a few days before the departure. The price is set by the driver, but you usually can expect to pay for Budapest to Vienna car-sharing trip around €20-25. 

While car-sharing is a great alternative to popular modes of transportation, especially for last-minute trips, be sure to read the fine print on the offers. Sometimes the pick-up/drop-off location is away from the center, and you need to add the time and money spent on getting there. Still, it is a good option to travel around and meet locals.

Those who enjoy the adrenaline rush of unpredictable travels can try hitchhiking from Budapest to Vienna. Since both capitals are not too far from each other, connected by a popular M1/A4 highway, you shouldn’t have any problems with scoring the ride (but, at the same time, the competition might be a bit of a challenge). 

The best hitchhiking spot when heading towards Vienna is the OMV petrol station in Kelenföld, at the very beginning of the M1 highway. You can reach it by the metro green line 4. Take it to the final stop - Kelenföld vasútállomás and then walk to the motorway, around 1 km away. There is another petrol station some 200 meters further, but it’s not as popular as the OMV one where you should try your luck first.

When hitchhiking from Budapest to Vienna, you might find a ride with a Romanian driver (since this is a popular route from Romania to Western Europe). In Romania, paying a small fee for a ride is customary, so to avoid unpleasant situations, double-check before getting into the car if the driver will take you for free.

Walking such a long distance is not a typical way of getting around, but getting from Budapest to Vienna on foot is doable. You would need about two weeks for such a trip, depending on what you want to see along the way and how long distances you can cover daily. 

The most pleasant way to walk from Budapest to Vienna is along the Danube River, with numerous interesting stops between the capitals (we’ve already covered the best ones in this article). This route is around 300 km but with the diverse scenery and a more in-depth look into the Central European region, you surely won’t be bored during your trip.

If you would like to travel in style and luxury, you can charter a private jet for your trip from Budapest to Vienna. It is an expensive option, with the prices starting at €6.000 for chartering a small plane, but the experience will surely be unforgettable. Even if this is a fancy trip, you still need around 3 hours to travel between the centers of both cities.

If you travel around with your motorhome, going for Budapest to Vienna road trip is an excellent idea. There are plenty of campsites between the two capitals, where you can park your campervan for the night and relax after the day of sightseeing before hitting the road again. 

While you can take the motorway from Budapest to Vienna, it would be much more rewarding to drive your RV on the backroads to enjoy the region and all it has to offer fully. As we’ve already mentioned in this article, there are so many amazing places you can stop in on the way to make your Budapest to Vienna trip even better.

Like with the RV, going by motorcycle from Budapest to Vienna can be a real treat and joy. You can go on the highway to enjoy your machine and its power, or you can take it slow, ride on the backroads, and fully appreciate this still underrated part of Europe. 

The best Budapest to Vienna scenic road you can take goes along the Danube River, where you can admire beautiful views along the way and stop in numerous interesting places to do some sightseeing.

A popular way of spending holidays in Europe is taking a cruise. Numerous cruises on the Danube River go from Budapest to Vienna (and further to Germany), which you can take for a scenic trip between the two capitals. The standard Budapest to Vienna cruise takes four days / three nights. Along the way, you will stop for sightseeing in Bratislava (Slovakia) and the picturesque UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley in Austria. The sightseeing Budapest to Vienna cruise costs around €1.100, including onboard accommodation and three meals per day.

If you are looking for a faster way to get from Budapest to Vienna by boat, taking the hydrofoil might be possible. While currently Budapest to Vienna hydrofoil trips are suspended, they do happen occasionally, so it’s worth checking the info when you know the exact days of your journey. 

It takes around 5-6 hours to travel on the Danube between the two cities. Along the way, you can admire the beautiful views of the Danube bend north of Budapest; you will also see some of the highlights of Bratislava - the capital of Slovakia.

If you have access to the hovercraft, you can also use it for your Budapest to Vienna trip. With an average speed of around 60 km/h, it should take about 5 hours to get from Budapest to Vienna.

Last but not least, you can feel like your ancestors and travel from Budapest to Vienna on horseback. These days it’s not a very popular way of traveling around, but if you decide to try it, you would need at least three days for such a trip, probably more if you would like to take the less-popular roads to enjoy your trip fully and to stop in some interesting places along the way.